GB2271945A

GB2271945A - Machine tool and method for machining workpiece

Info

Publication number: GB2271945A
Application number: GB9322142A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dieter Meuschel
Original assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Current assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Priority date: 1992-10-27
Filing date: 1993-10-27
Publication date: 1994-05-04
Also published as: DE4236172A1; FR2697191A1; GB9322142D0

Abstract

The machine tool for machining a workpiece comprises a tool support (9), a tool mounted thereon and a workpiece support (10). A first motor-driven means (6.1) is provided for setting and changing the tool along a displacing axis of the tool support (Z) and a second controllable motor-driven means (6.3) is provided for setting and displacing the workpiece along a second displacing axis (W) of the workpiece support (10) which is parallel to the first axis. The tool support (9) may also be displaced along axis (Y) by means of motor-driven means (6.2) and the workpiece support (10) may be displaced along axis (X) by motor-driven means (6.4). <IMAGE>

Description

2271945 Method of cutting a workpiece The invention relates to a method of

cutting (machining) a workpiece by means of a cutting machine tool and to a cutting machine tool comprising a tool support, a tool mounted thereon, a tool support for mounting a workpiece, displacing axes along which a relative position of the tool with respect to the workpiece and the workpiece with respect to the tool can be set and changed, and comprising controllable motor-driven means for setting and changing said relative position.

In order to intensify the productivity of such machine tools attempts have already been made to reduce the time necessary to set certain relative positions of the tool with respect to the workpiece by increasing the quick-motion velocity. Correspondingly an appreciable intensification of productivity however makes it necessary to increase the quick-motion velocity, which results in a considerable increase in the mass forces. Said considerable increase in the mass forces limits the practical application of higher velocities which may not be exceeded with machine tools designed according to known well-tried principles.

The present invention aims at overcoming the difficulties existing when attempting to considerably reduce the machine utilization while, at the same time, intensifying the productivity of a machine tool.

This object is achieved by the method set forth in Claim 1 and the machine tool set forth in Claim 2. The inventive method makes it possible to double above all maximum velocity values still controllable with the current machine tools - of setting and changing a relative position of the tool with respect to the workpiece, without the mass forces which are caused by the necessary acceleration and deceleration exceeding the framework of mass forces which become effective in known machine tools.

The above-mentioned method may not only be applied to reduce the nonproductive periods but also to reduce the productive periods and, moreover, it enlarges the scope of application of a machine tool used to carry out this method. In particular it is possible to machine with one and the same machine tool, operated according to the method of the invention, both ferrous metals and light metals at extremely differing feed rates adapted to the respective cutting process by superposing in the second case. for example, an advance of the workpiece is superposed by an advance of the tool.

A machine tool according to the invention and with a selected pair of displacing axes is schematically illustrated in the drawing, which shows a horizontal drilling/milling unit having displacing axes designed as arrows and bearing respective DIN 66217 references.

A machine table 1 carries a lower slide 2 of a workpiece-slide arrangement and a support 3. A lifting slide 4 provided at said support so as to be height-adjustable carries a headstock 5 which can be displaced with respect to said lifting slide in a horizontal machining direction and opposite thereto. For displacing said headstock 5 in a horizontal machining direction and opposite thereto there are provided a displacing axis Z and controllable motor-driven means which are schematically illustrated in form of a motor 6.1 and by means of which the headstock 5 can be moved with respect to the lifting slide 4 along guides 7.1 provided at said lifting slide 4. For the height-adj us table lifting slide there is provided a perpendicular lifting axis Y by means of further appropriate guides 7.2 provided at said support 3, and the lifting slide 4 is displaced along said displacing axis Y by means of controllable motor-driven means schematically illustrated in the form of a motor 6.2. At the machine table 1 there are provided further guides 7.3 representing a displacing axis W and serving - 3 to displace the lower slide 2 with respect to the machine table 1 along the displacing axis W, said displacement being effected by means of controllable motor-driven means schematically illustrated in the form of a motor 6.3. Further guides 7.4 which are disposed at the lower slide 2 and along which an upper slide 8 can be displaced with respect to the lower slide 2 by means of controllable motor-driven means represent a displacing axis X extending transversely to the machining direction, said controllable motor-driven means being schematically illustrated in the form of a motor 6.4.

In the specimen embodiment the assmebly formed by the machine table 1, the support 3 and the components which are carried by said support represents a tool support 9, whereas a workpiece support 10 is designed as an assembly which is formed by a machine table 1 having guides 7.3 as well as the slide arrangement including the lower slide 2 and the upper slide 8 and the respective drive means 6.3 and 6.4.

It is pointed out that a machine tool, as schematically shown in the drawing, does not include all possibilites which can be carried out with the inventive method. It merely shows - by way of example - in particular the possibility to double relative velocities of tool and workpiece in machining direction and opposite thereto. In the specimen embodiment shown this doubling is achieved by displacing the tool along the displacing axis z provided at the tool support 9 and by simultaneously moving the workpiece along the displacing axis W provided at the workpiece support, said displacing axes running parallel to each other.

In order to make full use of all possibilities made available by the invention displacing axes extending parallel to each axis of a Cartesian coordinate system would have to be provided both at the tool support 9 and the workpiece support 10.

4 It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

- 5 LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 2 3 4 5 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 8 9 10 machine table lower slide support lifting slide headstock motor guide upper slide tool support workpiece support 6

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Method of machining a workpiece by means of a cutting machine tool, comprising a tool support, a tool mounted thereon, a workpiece support for mounting a workpiece, and controllable motor-driven means for setting and changing the relative positions of the tool and workpiece, wherein simultaneously said tool is displaced along a first displacing axis provided at said tool support and said workpiece is displaced along a second displacing axis provided at said workpiece support.

2. A method of machining a workpiece according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

3. Machine tool for machining a workpiece and comprising a tool support, a tool mounted thereon, a workpiece support for mounting a workpiece, wherein a first motor-driven means is provided for setting and changing the tool along a displacing axis of said tool support and a second controllable motor- driven means is provided for setting and displacing the workpiece along a second displacing axis of said workpiece support which is parallel to the first axis.

4. A machine tool, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

T